Administration and governance at local level 

In Ukraine, the territorial communities of villages, settlements and cities are the primary subjects of local self-government. These communities are responsible for the functions and authorities that they exercise. The powers of the executive bodies of village, settlements and city councils in the field of education are defined by the Laws of Ukraine on Local Self-Government in Ukraine (Article 32), on Education (Article 66) and on State Social Assistance to Low-Income Families, particularly concerning issues related to ensuring access to education and supporting orphans, children with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.

Local authorities are responsible for implementing and managing the government's education policy in the subordinate territories. In particular, they:

• Ensure access to early childhood, complete general secondary, out-of-school education and vocational education and training (VET) for all residents within their jurisdiction. They provide free education, support the development of teaching staff, ensure education in the national language and promote the development of educational institutions of all forms of ownership;

• Establish educational institutions, plan and ensure the development of their network and organise their material, technical and financial support. They manage, reorganise and liquidate these institutions in accordance with the relevant legislation; 

• Ensure educational quality within their respective territory;

• Ensure access to education and provide support for orphans, children with disabilities and children deprived of parental care. They also take measures to prevent child neglect;

• Create conditions for the upbringing of children and young people, support their skills, vocational training and career guidance. They also support the activities of out-of-school education institutions, children's and youth organisations and youth centres;

• Provide subsidised transport for pupils, students, and teaching staff to and from educational institutions at the expense of the relevant local budgets;

• Organise medical care and catering in educational institutions. They also ensure that education seekers, including minors, have the right to free and preferential use of cultural, physical education and sports facilities; 

• Contribute to the development of an action plan aimed at preventing and combating bullying (harassment) in educational institutions;

• Organise and keep records of children of pre-school and school age in accordance with the procedure approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. They publish official reports on all funds received and spent, including lists and costs of goods, works and services for each educational institution established by them. They also account for other expenditure in the field of education;

• Assist graduates of general secondary education and VET institutions in finding employment;

• Perform other educational functions as prescribed by law.

Administration and governance at institutional level

Public self-government and public administration in the field of education

The Law on Education defines the concepts of public self-government and public administration within the education sector. Public self-government refers to the right of civil society institutions and public self-government bodies to participate in the management of educational institutions, local and state affairs in the field of education within their competence. Public self-government bodies in education include:

• Public self-government bodies of educational institutions;

• Conferences (forums, congresses) of participants in the educational process, educational institutions convened in the respective territory.

Public administration involves the cooperation of government authorities and local self-government bodies with public associations and other civil society institutions. This cooperation is aimed at making effective management decisions and addressing public interests in education.

In order to guarantee effective public administration in the field of education, public associations and other civil society institutions may be established, representing:

• Pedagogical, scientific-pedagogical, and scientific workers;

• Learners (education seekers);

• Parents;

• Educational institutions;

• Employers;

• Associations of the above categories.

Public associations and other civil society institutions carry out public monitoring of the education system. The subjects of public monitoring include teachers' professional associations, students' associations, parents' committees and others.

Education management information system

The software and hardware complex known as the Automated Information Complex for Educational Management (AICEM, in Ukrainian - АІКОМ) operates in Ukraine. Its purpose is to ensure effective digital interaction between public authorities, local self-government bodies, educational institutions, their structural units, participants in the educational process, and other legal entities and individuals within the education system. The AICEM is an integrated public information system designed to:

• Collect, accumulate, process and protect educational information;

• Integrate electronic information resources and/or public electronic registers in the education sector, ensuring both internal and external information exchange;

• Electronic management of business documentation and reporting for educational institutions, including registration of preschool and school-age children (including those not currently enrolled in education), participants in the educational process and entities involved in educational activities;

• Cooperate with other information systems for receiving, transmitting, recording, verifying and processing educational information;

• Perform other tasks specified by the legislation.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine is the owner of AICEM, while its technical administration is provided by the State Scientific Institution ‘Institute of Educational Analytics’. 

Management of an educational institution

The framework for the management of educational institutions is determined by the Law on Education and its supporting documents. The management of an educational institution is carried out by:

• The founder (founders);

• The head of the educational institution;

• Collegial governing body of the educational institution;

• Collegial body of public self-government;

• Other bodies as defined by specific legislation and/or the institution's founding documents.

Founder of an educational institution

Rights and obligations of the founder of an educational institution:

• Decides on the establishment, reorganisation, liquidation, change of type of educational institution, etc;

• Concludes and terminates a fixed-term employment agreement with the head of the educational institution;

• Approves the budget and accepts the financial report of the educational institution;

• Supervises the financial and economic activities of the educational institution;

• Monitors compliance with the founding documents of the educational institution;

• Ensures the creation of an inclusive educational environment in the educational institution;

• Controls the prevention of privileges or restrictions (any discrimination);

• Monitors the implementation of the action plan aimed at preventing and counteracting bullying (harassment) in the educational institution; 

• Exercises other rights provided for by the law and the founding documents of the institution.

It is the responsibility of the founder of an educational institution to:

• Maintain and develop the material and technical base of the educational institution at a level sufficient to meet educational standards and licensing requirements;

• Provide learners with the opportunity to continue their education at the appropriate level of education in case of reorganisation or liquidation of an educational institution;

• Ensure the creation of an accessible environment within the institution for all participants in the educational process, including those with special educational needs, in accordance with the law.

Head of an educational institution

The head of an educational institution directly manages the institution and is responsible for the educational, financial, economic and other activities of the institution. The head of an educational institution is appointed by the founder. The responsibilities of the head of the educational institution include:

• Organising the activities of the educational institution;

• Addressing financial and economic issues of the educational institution;

• Appointing and dismissing staff and defining their functional responsibilities;

• Supervising the organisation of the educational process and monitoring the implementation of educational programmes;

• Ensuring the effective operation of the internal quality assurance system for education;

• Facilitating effective and transparent public monitoring of the educational institution's activities;

• Supporting and creating conditions for the functioning of the self-governing bodies of the educational institution;

• Promoting a healthy lifestyle among learners and staff;

• Creating a safe educational environment within the institution, free from violence and bullying (harassment), etc.

Collegial governing bodies of educational institutions

The main collegial governing body of an educational institution is the academic or pedagogical council. The main powers, responsibilities, and procedures for the formation and operation of collegial governing bodies of an educational institution are defined by legislation and the institution's founding documents.

Public self-government in an educational institution

Public self-government in an educational institution refers to the right of participants in the educational process to collectively address issues related to the organisation and provision of education. It also includes the protection of their rights and interests and their participation in the public monitoring and management of the educational institution.

An educational institution may have the following self-government bodies:

• Self-government bodies of the institution's staff;
• Student self-government bodies;
• Parents' self-government bodies;
• Other public self-government bodies for participants in the educational process.

The highest collegial body of public self-government of an educational institution is the general meeting (conference) of the institution's staff.

Supervisory (trustee) board of an educational institution

The supervisory (trustee) board is an advisory body established to promote the development of educational institutions in every possible way. It is created by the founder's decision and in compliance with the relevant legislation. The supervisory (trustee) board has the right to:

• Participate in determining the development strategy of the educational institution and monitor its implementation;

• Facilitate the acquisition of additional sources of funding;

• Analyse and evaluate the activities of the educational institution and its head;

• Monitor the implementation of the institution's budget and make recommendations and proposals for consideration by the head of the educational institution;

• Propose to the founder of the educational institution to either promote or dismiss the head of the educational institution on the grounds specified by law;

• Exercise other rights defined by special laws and/or founding documents of the educational institution.